I’ve fallen in love. No, not with a person, but with an island. Santorini started as a horrible date gone wrong but quickly turned into the love of my life. You all voted to send me here a couple of weeks ago. And what was supposed to be a couple of days trip turned into a week. And every day I would say I’m going to leave, I ended up staying. So here I am, back in Athens, FINALLY writing this post.
The Bad First Date
When I first arrived, I have to be completely honest. I didn’t love it. I went to Fira and Oia, and it was pretty, don’t get me wrong. But, the two major cities in Santorini was not built for a solo traveler. With spectacular views and amazing sunsets, I was not feeling very welcomed. As restaurant owners tried to lure in lovely couples, I was ignored. Everyone around me was holding hands and taking kissing selfies, and I just wanted them out of my way.
It was like a bad date I had where a guy ended up leaving with someone else. I don’t have a problem with romantic places, I think it’s nice. But, Santorini for me at first was sitting at the singles table at a wedding. High expectations with low results. While everything around you is beautiful, you’re still the guy with no one to dance with.
The Hike That Changed My Mind About Santorini
On the first full day in Santorini, you all sent me on a 6-mile hike between Fira and Oia. And that was the moment I fell in love. The moment I left the crowds of the most popular island is when I found the beauty. As a traveler, I’m not the guy that likes to do the most “popular” destinations. I’m not too fond of crowds, and even when I used to go to bars, if the music was too loud and there wasn’t a stool, I wasn’t staying.
Thanks to Earth Trekkers they led to what might have been one of the greatest parts of my travels to date. Honestly, it’s not for everyone. And if you go, you will see that not many do it. This is unfortunate because the views you get are like nothing else on the whole island. It just takes some work to get there.
The hike itself takes around four hours. There are tiny villages to stop and get a drink of water to keep you going. You’ll find locals selling fruit and water as you continue your journey. There was something extraordinary about being in the open air as you see the volcanic island from afar. I am hoping to have a video of this journey soon, so stay tuned.
The Beaches Of Santorini
While the cliffside cities of Santorini are beautiful and iconic, the beaches, for me, are where it’s at. The black sand beach in Perissa was a wonderful experience. The streets are lined with welcoming restaurants and shops, as the beach is lined with beach chairs and umbrellas. The waiters were happy to see you return and thrilled if you were a newcomer.
If you want to get more adventurous, there is always Vychada beach, which is slightly off the path. But Its white cliffs that hang over you as you sunbathe are gorgeous. It’s not as busy as the beach in Perissa but just as beautiful. I say more adventurous because part of the beach is a nude beach. And as an American, you know we can be a little uptight about nudity. Well, once you are on a nude beach, you realize no one really cares. So, for the first time, this guy worked up the courage to bask in the sun with his tiny buns out. And no one cared. This whole trip is about me getting out of my comfort zone. So I did it. And it’s actually quite freeing.
There are several other beaches to visit, but I am only one man and didn’t have a car. I wanted to see the red beach, but the woman at the hotel said it had a little avalanche and didn’t think it was open at the moment. So I took her advice and sat by the pool instead. But, beaches are lovely as you can see, and you might not leave once you are there.
The People That Kept Me There
As a solo traveler, it can get lonely on the road sometimes. Don’t get me wrong. I love traveling alone. But, one thing that really kept me there was the kindness I got from locals and tourists. No one was in a rush to get anywhere, and people seemed to care genuinely.
Every day the woman at my hotel would tell me, “It’s not time,” and I would hand over for another night. She even discounted my room BIG time. The waiter at my favorite little spot, Grandma’s Recipe, came over and just said, “It’s so nice when you are here.” It just was all so welcoming, compared to my first day.
Perhaps the greatest part of my trip was an awesome Israeli couple I met and ended up spending 3 great days together. They would come to pick me up in their car, and basically, they chose my adventure for the day. I had great dinners, enjoyable pool days, and they even took me back to Oia, where I did love it a second time around. They truly made this trip even more special. And now have lifelong friends in Tel Aviv.
A New Love Story
As I said, at first I wouldn’t say I liked this big island, but I quickly fell in love. Santorini is definitely a place that every traveler to Greece should take. My gratefulness to have enjoyed this past week there can never be explained. It was exactly what I needed for what sometimes is a difficult week for me personally. But, you will love this adventure if you ever choose to take it. And be open and go with what comes your way. As they say in Greek, “Halara,” which is the art to “take it easy.”
And don’t forget to head to the HOMEPAGE, for the next big vote. And stay tuned for more on Santorini with more specifics to do and where to eat. Just wanted share my personal journey this past week.
Mom
I think I might want to go there next year. It looks beautiful with the blue waters! We can go to the hotel that you couldn’t leave.
Rachael F
This is amazing! Santorini was never on my radar before, but it sure is now. I’m so glad you stuck with it and had an amazing time. It’s a good reminder that first impressions are not always correct.
Tomer & Boaz
Dear Johnny,
You wrote so beautifully – we read it twice. We also started our first visit to Santorini with 3 spontaneous days that extended to 5 days and for the second time (When we met you) we already came for 10 days.
You are a creative and charming person with a wide heart. We are glad we got to meet you and get to know this wonderful journey you are making. Thank you for mentioning us. We will meet again soon and until then we will follow your next adventures in your lovely blog. Stay in Touch.
Lynne Rudolph
I’ve always wanted to go to Santorini because it is so beautiful-magical! I am so happy you found that you loved the place, even after your disappointing first day. Thanks for writing about it!
Greg
Great review of a wonderful island. Loved your story of the place